Sauces, methods of using sauces, and packaged sauces.

Abstract

The invention relates to a sauce comprising an oil or fat in an amount between 3 and 15% by mass, modified starch in an amount between 1 and 4% by mass, a non-modified starch thickener in an amount between 0.002 and 1% by mass, an emulsifier in an amount between 0.05 and 0.5% by mass, and having a Bostwick consistency of 2 to 8 cm measured at 23°C for 30 seconds. The sauce is suitable for use by dispensing in portions, i.e., storing several portions of sauce in a dispensing container and taking out one portion of sauce from the container at each use. The invention also relates to a sauce product comprising a container and sauce in the container, the sauce being present in sufficient quantity for several portions to be dispensed.

Description

Sauces, how to use sauces, packaged sauces

[0001] The present invention relates to a sauce, which is a liquid or paste-like food used as a seasoning or garnish for other foods.

[0002] In general, sauces are desired to have appropriate fluidity and adhesiveness at a typical eating temperature range of 10 to 70°C so that they can be eaten in an appropriate amount attached to other foods. Furthermore, sauces with such properties are produced using a variety of ingredients as raw materials and various processing methods, such as heating, to impart complex flavors to the sauce. The sauces, which are liquid or paste-like compositions produced through such production processes, can fulfill their intended roles, such as seasoning and decoration, if the ingredients are uniformly dispersed during use. Separation of the ingredients during use prevents the sauce from fulfilling these roles adequately. Therefore, the sauces are required to have excellent dispersion stability, so that the ingredients can be maintained in a uniformly dispersed state during storage.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for improving sauces with the aim of improving the dispersion stability of the sauces. Specifically, the technology describes a sauce-like oil-in-water emulsion that maintains an emulsified state even when heated, containing 48 to 68% by weight of water, 20 to 42% by weight of fats and oils, 2 to 9% by weight of protein, starch, a gelling agent and / or a thickener, and an emulsifier.

[0004] Patent Documents 2 and 3 disclose sauce improvement technologies that address the issue of improving the syneresis-inhibiting effect of the sauce on other ingredients, rather than the dispersion stability of the sauce itself, and describe sauces that are said to have excellent syneresis-inhibiting effect. The sauce described in Patent Document 2 is a W / O / W emulsion seasoning that contains 10 to 70 mass% edible oils and fats, an emulsifier, a thickener, egg yolk, and salt, and has a viscosity of 50 to 500 Pa·s. The sauce described in Patent Document 3 contains specific amounts of welan gum, a thickening polysaccharide, and a modified starch, and has a viscosity of 3 to 19 cm when measured with a Bostwick viscometer at 25°C for 30 seconds.

[0005] JP 2016-189763 A JP 2013-106612 A JP 2019-115336 A

[0006] In a so-called "small-dose" mode of use, where a sauce is stored in a container in an amount sufficient for multiple uses and a portion is dispensed from the container at the time of use, if the ingredients in the sauce separate within the container during storage, the taste of the sauce will change each time the sauce is dispensed from the container. Therefore, the dispersion stability of the sauce is particularly important. Conventional sauces are not suitable for such small-dose use, and there is room for improvement in terms of dispersion stability. Furthermore, when conventional sauces contain ingredients, the ingredients may settle or float in the sauce during storage and separate from the other ingredients. In a small-dose mode of use, although the ingredients should be dispensed evenly from the container each time, there is a problem that the amount of ingredients dispensed per use is prone to variation.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a sauce that has excellent dispersion stability of the ingredients contained therein, and that can maintain a uniform dispersion state of the ingredients even when dispensed in small amounts.

[0008] The present invention relates to a sauce containing 3 to 15% by mass of fats and oils, 1 to 4% by mass of processed starch, 0.002 to 1% by mass of a thickener other than the processed starch, and 0.05 to 0.5% by mass of an emulsifier, and having a viscosity of 2 to 8 cm as measured by a Bostwick viscometer at a product temperature of 23°C for a measurement time of 30 seconds.

[0009] The present invention also provides a method for using the sauce of the present invention, which comprises storing the sauce in a container and dispensing the sauce in small amounts from the container when using the sauce.

[0010] The present invention also provides a bottled sauce comprising the sauce of the present invention and a container for containing the sauce, the container containing an amount of the sauce sufficient for multiple uses.

[0011] The sauce of the present invention contains fats and oils. The fats and oils may be edible and are not particularly limited. Examples include vegetable fats and oils, animal fats and oils, and processed fats and oils. These may be used alone or in combination. Examples of vegetable fats and oils include soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, olive oil, sesame oil, palm oil, coconut oil, and palm kernel oil. Examples of animal fats and oils include beef tallow, lard, and poultry oil. Processed fats and oils are a general term for fats and oils obtained by subjecting raw material fats and oils (e.g., vegetable fats or animal fats) to physical, enzymatic, or chemical processing. The processing method for obtaining processed fats and oils is not particularly limited. Examples include fractionation, hydrogenation, and interesterification. Two or more processing methods may be combined.

[0012] The fat content in the sauce of the present invention is 3 to 15% by mass, preferably 4 to 12% by mass, based on 100% by mass of the sauce. If the fat content in the sauce is outside the range of 3 to 15% by mass, the dispersion stability of the contained ingredients becomes insufficient. In particular, if the fat content is less than 3% by mass, the ingredients are likely to separate when the sauce contains ingredients, and if it exceeds 15% by mass, the fat content is likely to separate.

[0013] The sauce of the present invention contains modified starch. Modified starch is a general term for starch that has been subjected to physical, enzymatic, or chemical processing. Any edible starch can be used as the modified starch without any particular limitation, and one type can be used alone or two or more types can be used in combination. Examples of starch that can be used as the raw material for the modified starch include tapioca starch, wheat starch, corn starch, potato starch, and rice starch. The method of processing starch to obtain the modified starch is not particularly limited, and examples include cross-linking treatment, esterification treatment, etherification treatment, and oxidation treatment. Two or more processing methods may be combined. As the modified starch, cross-linked starch is preferred, and phosphate cross-linked starch is more preferred. This is expected to further improve the dispersion stability of the ingredients contained in the sauce.

[0014] The content of the processed starch in the sauce of the present invention is 1 to 4% by mass, and preferably 1.3 to 3.5% by mass, relative to 100% by mass of the sauce. If the content of the processed starch in the sauce is outside the range of 1 to 4% by mass, the dispersion stability of the contained ingredients will be insufficient. In particular, if the content is less than 1% by mass, separation of oils and fats will be more likely to occur, and if the sauce contains ingredients, separation of the ingredients will also be more likely to occur. If the content exceeds 4% by mass, the sauce will become viscous and its handleability will be reduced, which may make it difficult, for example, to place the sauce in a container or to remove the sauce from the container.

[0015] The sauce of the present invention contains a thickener other than modified starch. The thickener other than modified starch can be any edible thickener without any particular limitation, and examples thereof include thickening polysaccharides such as gelatin, gellan gum, carrageenan, furcellanus, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, tamarind gum, tara gum, guar gum, sodium alginate, alginic acid esters, and pectin, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0016] The content of the thickener other than the processed starch in the sauce of the present invention is 0.002 to 1% by mass, and preferably 0.005 to 0.5% by mass, relative to 100% by mass of the sauce. If the content of the thickener other than the processed starch in the sauce is outside the range of 0.002 to 1% by mass, the dispersion stability of the contained ingredients will be insufficient. In particular, if it is less than 0.002% by mass, separation of oils and fats will be more likely to occur, and if the sauce contains ingredients, separation of the ingredients will also be more likely to occur. If it exceeds 1% by mass, the sauce will become viscous and its handleability will be reduced, which may make it difficult, for example, to place the sauce in a container or to remove the sauce from the container.

[0017] The sauce of the present invention contains an emulsifier. Any edible emulsifier can be used without any particular limitation, and examples thereof include monoglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, and lysolecithin. These emulsifiers can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0018] The content of the emulsifier in the sauce of the present invention is 0.05 to 0.5% by mass, preferably 0.1 to 0.3% by mass, based on 100% by mass of the sauce. If the content of the emulsifier in the sauce is outside the range of 0.05 to 0.5% by mass, the dispersion stability of the contained ingredients will be insufficient. In particular, if the content is less than 0.05% by mass, separation of the oil and fat will be more likely to occur, and if the sauce contains ingredients, separation of the ingredients will also be more likely to occur. If the content exceeds 0.5% by mass, the sauce will become viscous and its handleability will be reduced, which may make it difficult, for example, to place the sauce in a container or to remove the sauce from the container.

[0019] The sauce of the present invention is typically composed mainly of a sauce body that is liquid or pasty at room temperature and normal pressure, and the sauce as a whole has fluidity at room temperature and normal pressure. The essential components (oils and fats, processed starch, thickeners other than processed starch, and emulsifiers) are typically all contained in the sauce body. The sauce body may contain other components in addition to the essential components. The other ingredients may be any of various ingredients commonly used in this type of sauce, without particular limitation, as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention, such as water; unprocessed starches; seasonings such as salt and monosodium glutamate; animal and plant extracts; dairy products such as milk, cream, butter, and cheese; sugars such as starch syrup, dextrin, reduced dextrin, cyclodextrin, sorbitol, and trehalose; eggs such as egg yolk and egg white; organic acids or salts thereof such as vinegar and citric acid; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or its salts and vitamin E; colorants; flavorings; sweeteners; and preservatives, which may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The content of the other ingredients in the sauce (the sauce body) of the present invention is preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 70% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the sauce (the sauce body).

[0020] The sauce of the present invention may contain ingredients that do not have fluidity at room temperature and normal pressure, such as solid food ingredients. The sauce of the present invention includes a form consisting only of the sauce body and a form containing the sauce body and ingredients. Examples of ingredients include meats such as beef, pork, and chicken; seafood such as flounder, crab, and shrimp; fish eggs such as cod roe; vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, and carrots; and fungi such as mushrooms. The content of ingredients in the sauce of the present invention is preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 5 to 30% by mass, based on 100% by mass of the sauce.

[0021] A preferred example of the ingredient used in the present invention is an ingredient that does not pass through a 1 mm mesh sieve but passes through a 10 mm mesh sieve (hereinafter also referred to as a "specific ingredient"). As mentioned above, when ingredients are added to conventional sauces, the ingredients tend to separate from other ingredients such as fats and oils during storage, resulting in uneven distribution and a problem of inconsistent ingredient dispensing when the sauce is dispensed in small amounts. In contrast, when such specific ingredients are used as ingredients in the sauce of the present invention having the above-mentioned composition, problems caused by such ingredients are less likely to occur, and the benefits of sauces containing ingredients (e.g., improved taste, texture, and appearance) can be enjoyed while maintaining a high level of dispersion stability of the ingredients. The content of the specific ingredient in the sauce of the present invention is preferably 5 to 30% by mass, more preferably 8 to 20% by mass, based on 100% by mass of the sauce, from the viewpoint of balancing the benefits of including ingredients in the sauce with the dispersion stability of the ingredients.

[0022] The sauce of the present invention has a viscosity (hereinafter also referred to as "Bostwick viscosity") of 2 to 8 cm, preferably 2.5 to 7.5 cm, and more preferably 3 to 7 cm, as measured by a Bostwick viscometer at a product temperature of 23°C for a measurement time of 30 seconds. A Bostwick viscometer is a device for measuring the consistency of the viscosity of a fluid, and can measure the distance traveled by a fluid in a given time or the time required for a fluid to travel a given distance. Having the Bostwick viscosity of the sauce within the above-mentioned specific range improves the dispersion stability of the contained ingredients, and the contained ingredients can be maintained in a uniformly dispersed state even when dispensed in small amounts. If the Bostwick viscosity of the sauce is less than 2 cm, the handleability of the sauce decreases, making it difficult to dispense the sauce contained in the container in small amounts. In particular, when a flexible container with a content dispenser is used as the sauce container, removing (squeezing) the sauce from the container through the dispenser may be difficult unless the container is pressed with a relatively large force. Furthermore, if the Bostwick viscosity of the sauce exceeds 8 cm, the dispersion stability of the ingredients contained therein becomes insufficient, and if the sauce contains ingredients, the ingredients are likely to separate. The Bostwick viscosity of the sauce can be adjusted by adjusting the types and amounts of the ingredients contained therein.

[0023] The Bostwick viscosity can be measured using a commonly available Bostwick viscometer in accordance with the standard measurement method for the viscometer used. Commercially available Bostwick viscometers can be used, for example, a Bostwick Consistometer (Nippon Genetics Co., Ltd.). The following method using the Bostwick Consistometer can be exemplified as an example of a method for measuring Bostwick viscosity. The Bostwick Consistometer is placed on a horizontal table using a level, and with the gate of the device closed, a sample adjusted to a product temperature of 23°C is filled up to the top of the reservoir. The trigger is pressed down to open the gate, and the time is measured at the same time. The flow distance of the sample in the trough after 30 seconds has elapsed is measured. The maximum flow distance at the center of the trough and the minimum flow distance at the end of the trough are measured, and their arithmetic average is calculated to determine the Bostwick viscosity of the sample.

[0024] The sauce of the present invention can be produced basically in the same manner as this type of sauce. One example of a method for producing the sauce of the present invention is a method in which the essential ingredients (oils and fats, processed starch, thickeners other than processed starch, and emulsifiers) are first mixed and stirred, and then, while heating the mixture of essential ingredients as needed, other ingredients and / or ingredients other than the essential ingredients that make up the main part of the sauce are added and mixed. Another example of a method for producing the sauce of the present invention is a method in which an intermediate sauce product is first produced using other ingredients and / or ingredients other than the essential ingredients as needed in a conventional manner, and then, while heating this intermediate product as needed, the essential ingredients are added and mixed.

[0025] The sauce of the present invention has excellent dispersion stability of the ingredients, and separation of the ingredients is unlikely to occur not only immediately after production but also when stored for long periods after production, for example, in a container. Therefore, the sauce of the present invention is suitable for use in a so-called small-dose mode, in which a multiple-use amount of sauce is stored in a container and a portion is dispensed from the container at the time of use. The portion of the sauce dispensed from the container will always have the ingredients, including the ingredients, uniformly dispersed. One preferred use of the sauce of the present invention is a mode in which the sauce is dispensed from a container. The sauce of the present invention is also suitable for a packaged sauce, which comprises the sauce and a container for storing the sauce, and the container contains a multiple-use amount of the sauce.

[0026] The container for containing and storing the sauce of the present invention is not particularly limited, and containers made of materials such as plastic and glass can be used. A preferred example of the container is a flexible container having an opening for dispensing the contents, which can be squeezed out (squeezed out) from the opening by pressing the container during use. The inner diameter of the opening of the container is, for example, about 1 to 12 mm. Such flexible containers are used to store condiments that are fluid at room temperature and pressure, such as ketchup and mayonnaise.

[0027] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0028] [Examples 1 to 19, Comparative Examples 1 to 13] The ingredients in the formulations shown in Tables 1 to 4 below were added to and mixed with base sauce A (white sauce) produced by the method described below, and the mixture was heated while stirring. Once it had boiled, the heating was stopped to produce white sauces. The ingredients added to base sauce A were as follows: - Modified starch A: phosphate cross-linked tapioca starch - Modified starch B: acetylated cornstarch - Unmodified starch: tapioca starch - Thickener A: xanthan gum - Thickener B: guar gum - Emulsifier A: glycerin fatty acid ester - Emulsifier B: lecithin

[0029] <Method for producing base sauce A> A mixture was prepared by mixing and stirring 50 g of soft wheat flour and 800 mL of milk. A pot was heated, and 80 g of butter was melted. 720 g of the mixture was added to the melted butter and heated for 10 minutes while stirring to prevent boiling. 200 g of fresh cream was then added in small portions, and the mixture was mixed while adjusting the heat to prevent boiling. Once the mixture was homogenous, the mixture was heated for another 20 minutes. Fresh water was added to bring the total volume to 1000 g, producing a white sauce (oil and fat content 11% by mass) that served as base sauce A.

[0030] Examples 20 to 23, Comparative Examples 14 to 20: Bolognese sauce was produced by adding and mixing ingredients according to the formulations in Table 5 below to base sauce B (Bolognese sauce) produced by the method described below, heating the mixture while stirring, and stopping the heating once it had boiled. The ingredients added to base sauce B were the same as those added to base sauce A.

[0031] <Method for Producing Base Sauce B> Crushed garlic, 80 g of chopped onion, and 80 g of carrot were fried in a pot with olive oil to produce a soffritto. Separately, 400 g of ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper was first fried in chunks, and once the surface was browned, it was further fried while breaking it up. The soffritto was then added and mixed until uniform. After mixing, the solids were removed from the pot and sieved. The portion of the solids that did not pass through a 1 mm sieve but passed through a 10 mm sieve was removed to obtain the specific ingredient, and 450 g of the specific ingredient was returned to the pot. 100 mL of wine was added to the pot and heated to a boil. Once boiling, 200 mL of bouillon, 500 g of tomato paste, and 80 mL of spaghetti cooking water were added, and the mixture was mixed while adjusting the heat so as not to boil. Once the mixture was uniform, it was heated for a further 20 minutes, and fresh water was added to bring the total volume to 1000 g, thereby producing a bolognese sauce (oil content 7% by mass) which was base sauce B.

[0032] Examples 24 to 29, Comparative Examples 21 to 22: To base sauce C or D (white sauce) produced by the method described below, the ingredients in the proportions shown in Table 6 were added and mixed, and the mixture was heated while stirring. Once it had boiled, the heating was stopped to produce white sauce. The ingredients added to base sauces C and D were the same as those added to base sauce A.

[0033] <Method for producing base sauces C and D> White sauce (oil content 13% by mass) which is base sauce C and white sauce (oil content 9% by mass) which is base sauce D were produced in the same manner as the method for producing base sauce A, except that the amount of soft wheat flour and the amount of fresh cream were changed as appropriate.

[0034] [Performance Evaluation] The dispersion state of the ingredients in the sauces of each Example and Comparative Example was evaluated according to the following Test Examples 1 and 2. The results are shown in Tables 1 to 6. The values ​​in the "Evaluation of Sauce" column in Tables 1 to 6 are the arithmetic mean values ​​of the evaluation scores of 10 expert panelists.

[0035] Test Example 1: 400 g of the sauce to be evaluated was placed in a commercially available deep-dish plastic container and allowed to stand at room temperature for 8 hours. After standing, the sauce in the container was scooped with a 100 mL ladle and poured onto a flat plate. This sauce-removal operation was repeated three times in succession, and 100 mL of sauce was dispensed onto each of three flat plates. Ten expert panelists visually observed the sauce on the three flat plates and evaluated the state of separation of the contained ingredients according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0036] Test Example 2: 300 g of the sauce to be evaluated was placed in a commercially available mayonnaise container and allowed to stand at room temperature for 8 hours. This mayonnaise container was a flexible container with a dispensing opening for the contents, and the contents could be removed from the opening by pressing the container during use. After leaving the container standing, the opening of the mayonnaise container was faced downward, and a tray was placed directly below the opening. The mayonnaise container was then pressed to squeeze the sauce out of the opening and into the tray. This sauce removal operation was repeated twice in succession, and 100 mL of sauce was dispensed onto each of the two trays. Ten expert panelists visually observed the sauce on the two trays and evaluated the state of separation of the ingredients according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0037] <Evaluation criteria for the state of separation of ingredients in white sauce> 5 points: No floating of oil or fat, no separation due to sedimentation, very good. 4 points: No floating of oil or fat, slight separation due to sedimentation but within the acceptable range, good. 3 points: Slight floating of oil or fat, some separation due to sedimentation. 2 points: Some floating of oil or fat, some separation due to sedimentation, poor. 1 point: Floating of oil or fat, considerable separation due to sedimentation, very poor. <Evaluation criteria for the state of separation of ingredients in bolognese sauce> 5 points: No floating of oil or fat, no imbalance in the content of ingredients between the portions of sauce, very good. 4 points: No floating of oil or fat, slight imbalance in the content of ingredients between the portions of sauce but within the acceptable range, good. 3 points: Slight floating of oil or fat, some imbalance in the content of ingredients between the portions of sauce. 2 points: Some oil and fat floating, and unevenness in the content of ingredients between the divided sauces, poor. 1 point: Some oil and fat floating, and unevenness in the content of ingredients between the divided sauces, very poor.

[0038]

[0039] As shown in Table 1, the sauces of the Examples each contained a processed starch (processed starch A and / or processed starch B), a thickener other than the processed starch (thickener A and / or thickener B), and an emulsifier (emulsifier A and / or emulsifier B), and therefore had superior dispersion stability of the contained ingredients compared to the Comparative Examples which did not meet these requirements.

[0040]

[0041] As shown in Table 2, the sauces of the Examples each had a modified starch content in the range of 1 to 4% by mass, and therefore had superior dispersion stability of the contained ingredients compared to the Comparative Examples which did not satisfy this range.

[0042]

[0043] As shown in Table 3, the sauces of each Example had a content of thickener other than processed starch in the range of 0.002 to 1% by mass, and therefore had superior dispersion stability of the contained ingredients compared to the comparative examples that did not satisfy this range.

[0044]

[0045] As shown in Table 4, the sauces of each Example had an emulsifier content in the range of 0.05 to 0.5% by mass, and therefore had superior dispersion stability of the ingredients compared to the Comparative Examples which did not meet this requirement.

[0046]

[0047] The sauces of the Examples and Comparative Examples shown in Table 5 all contain ingredients (specific ingredients), which differs from the sauces of the Examples and Comparative Examples shown in Table 1, which do not contain ingredients. As shown in Table 5, the sauces of the Examples had excellent dispersion stability of the contained ingredients, even though they contained ingredients.

[0048]

[0049] As shown in Table 6, the sauces of the Examples had a Bostwick viscosity in the range of 2 to 8 cm, and therefore had superior dispersion stability of the ingredients compared to the Comparative Examples which did not meet this requirement.

[0050] According to the present invention, there are provided sauces and container-packed sauces which have excellent dispersion stability of the ingredients and can maintain a uniform dispersion state of the ingredients even when dispensed in small amounts.

Claims

1. A sauce containing 3 to 15% by mass of oil and fat, 1 to 4% by mass of modified starch, 0.002 to 1% by mass of a thickener other than modified starch, and 0.05 to 0.5% by mass of an emulsifier, having a viscosity of 2 to 8 cm at a product temperature of 23°C and a measurement time of 30 seconds as measured by a Bostwick viscometer.

2. The sauce according to claim 1, containing 5 to 30% by mass of ingredients that do not pass through a sieve with an opening of 1 mm and pass through a sieve with an opening of 10 mm.

3. A method for using the sauce, wherein the sauce according to claim 1 or 2 is stored in a container and the sauce is taken out in small amounts from the container during use.

4. The method for using the sauce according to claim 3, wherein the container is a flexible container having an outlet for the contents, and the sauce can be taken out from the outlet by pressing the container during use.

5. A packaged sauce comprising the sauce according to claim 1 or 2 and a container for containing the sauce, wherein the container contains the sauce in an amount sufficient for multiple uses.

6. The packaged sauce according to claim 5, wherein the container is a flexible container having an outlet for the contents, and the sauce can be taken out from the outlet by pressing the container during use.